Button-attaching machine



March 2 1926.

F. N. ROSS BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14 s Sheets-Sheet 1 A TT ORNE Y.

MM 2 192s.

- 1,574,937 F. N ROSS BUTTON ATTACHTNG MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1925 3 sheets sheet z I N V EN TOR.

77ede/2'b/KA P0 s A TTORNE Y.

March 2 1926.

F N. ROSS BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 14, 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 3 I N V E N TOR. Baden-6km Pa 5 s A TTORNE Y.

Patented Mar. 2, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK N. ROSS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUTTON ATTACH-Q ING MACHINE COMPANY OF VIATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, OF WATERBURY,. CON- NECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BUTTON-ATTACHING- MACHINE.

Application filed February 14, 1925. Serial No. 9,088.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK N. Ross, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Attaching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a button attaching machine and more particularly pertains to the means for guiding and positioning the button on the button supporting member.

In similar machines of the prior art it has been customary to use a pair of fingers each pivoted to one side of the machine and yieldingly forced towards each other and so positioned as to form a guide for a button or similar article, which is adapted to be fed to a supporting member which moves.

These fingers are arranged to spread upon the raising of the supporting member to. allow the same to pass between said fingers.

One difficulty with this type of positioning fingers is that the same are assembled in the machine with some difficulty and also it is impractical to provide manual means for spreading these fingers when something goes wrong so that the operator can get behind the fingers. The object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties and to provide a single finger which may be more easily assembled in the machine and which can be manually controlled by the operator to quickly retract the same so that the operator may get behind the fingers when anything goes wrong. i v

A further object is to provide a better guide for the button which is always in adjustment and does not require a periodical adjustment as is sometimes necessary when using a pair of spreadable fingers. In addition, my construction is simpler, more economical and also conforms to the outline of the machine structure so, as to present a smooth and unbroken surface towards the operator. I

A still'further object is the arrangement of the single retractable finger, whereby the same may be more readily cleaned by removing any accumulation of dirt orgrease which might adhere to the under side of the finger and preventthe smooth and efficient movement of the finger when the same is retracted to allow the button or showing the finger retracted.

Fig. 4; is a vertical sectional view take approximately on the line 4& of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the finger.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of the device, showing the finger unretracted and taken ap-' proximately on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of. a ring button.

The details of the machine need not be described in detail'as this structure is immaterial so far as this invention is concerned. It will be sufiicient to state that the power is imparted to the shaft a, which through suitable mechanism, as described and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,508,- 253, will operate suitable attaching mechanism b, which will attach a split ring through the eye of a ring button to lock it onto a piece of fabric. The button-supporting means 0 is slidably supported in the groove (Z of the machine structure. The lower end of this button supporting means is provided with a pin e which is adapted to be engaged by the forked arm 7 which is rocked by the operating mechanism. This plunger 0 is provided with a button seat 9 and a button chute hfeeds a plurality ofbuttons downwardly, and when the which I pivot to the machine by providing the finger with a pair of inwardly extending ears j, which are adapted to pass through the slots in the front of the machine and pivoted to the machine by means of the pins m as clearly shown in Fig. 6. A spring a attached to this finger and anchored to the machine frame as at 0 normally tends to, pull the finger towards the machine and hold the same in the position as shown in Figs. 2 and 7. I

This finger is provided at its lower end with a lip orear 1) which the operator may press down with the thumb when he desires to manually move the finger. The other end of the finger is turned inwardly as at g and is arranged to project over and above the button seat and abut against the mouth of the button chute. This extension 9 is provided with the-slot 1 which is'in registration with the mouth of the button chute-and serves asa guide for the button by guiding the loop of the eyeleted'buttonas shown in Fig. 8. This correctly positions the eye or loop of the button so that the same may be properly injected into theattaching mechanism. After the button has been seated upon this button seat 9, the machine mecha-- nism raises the button supporting member and the fingers s pivoted to the side of the machine are yieldingly held against the button bymeans of the springs t for the purpose of holding the button on the seat until the button 2' starts to enter the attaching mechanism.

Upon the raisin-g of the button plunger, the front edge of the plungerengages the inclined under side of the inwardly extending projection q and forces the same outwardly into a position as shown in F ig, 3. This is what I call the retracted position, and when the button plunge-rlowered again, the finger immediately springs in and registers the slot 1" with the mouth of the chute, so that the next button is correctly guided seat.

In the specification and claims I have de-- scribed this finger as serving to guide and positionja button in the machine, but obviously with slight modifications, of structure thatany mechanism may do without exercising inventive ability, thefl finger may be utilized in connection with other elements and positioned on the button for-feeding a button to the button support ing means, and a single retractable finger carried by said support and provided with means for guiding the button from the feed? ing mechanism onto the button seat and properly positioning the button thereon, said finger retracted upon movement of said button supporting means.

2. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a stationary support, a but ton supporting means slidably supported thereby and provided with a button seat, feeding mechanism for feeding a button to the button supporting means, and a single retractable finger-hinged to said support and provided with means for guiding the button from-the button feeding mechanism onto the button seat and positioning the same thereon, said finger retracted upon movement ofsaid button supporting means.

3. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a support, button supporting means including a button seat slidably supported by said support, button attaching mechanism, a feeding mechanism for feed ing a button to the button supporting means, a single retractable inverted L-shaped finger, the foot of said L-shaped' finger being inclined to the horizontal and having its under side arranged to be engaged by the slidable button supporting means, whereupon the finger is thrust aside toallow the button to be projected into the attaching means, and means on the said'foot of the L-shaped finger for guiding the button from the button feeding mechanismonto the button seat and positioning the same thereon.

4. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a support, button supporting means slidably supported thereby and including a button seat, feeding mechanism for feeding a button to the button supporting means, a single retractable finger provided with means for guiding the button from the feding mechanism onto the button seat and positioning the same thereon, and a forwardly extending lip on said finger, whereby the operator may manually move the finger by pressure applied on said lip.

5. In a button attaching machine, the combinationof a support, attaching mechanism, button supporting means including a button plunger provided with a button seat movable with respect to the support, button feeding mechanism, means for moving the button plunger to position a button in; cooperative relation with the attaching mechanism, and a single finger-hinged to said'support and provided with means for guiding the button from the feeding mechanism tothe button seat, but retractable upon the moving of the button plunger.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

FREDERICK N. ROSS. 

